All At Once
by zephtastic
Summary: 1x2, yaoislash Four years after the Eve Wars, Duo is Earthbound again for a simple break from life. Instead, he finds himself falling in love with the missing Heero Yuy and tangled in a plot for his life.
1. one: Unsure and a Hundred

"_So this is where you are  
And this is where I am  
So this is where you are  
And this is where I've been  
Somewhere between  
Unsure and a hundred_"

The Fay "Hundred"

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE**

* * *

Duo stopped midstep and turned to look out the massive window of the shuttle port beside him. It showed him a familiar view, a proud stretch of glorious azure sky broken only occasionally by a white wispy cloud. Hilde had said it was a good time of year to visit Japan and that the weather would be perfect and the tourist attractions all open. A vacation to Earth, a place he'd long left behind him. It felt odd, like a glove that was too loose and he had never quite grown in to. It had always felt this way, and he wondered what had made him hoped it had changed. 

Sighing he started walking again, pushing through the crowds and to the luggage pick up. 'You'd think,' he mused mentally, 'with the technological advantage of space travel and giant robots that we'd have long mastered the art of sorting luggage. Alas.' Shaking his head in amusement, he crossed his arms and set himself to wait, eyes looking for the familiar case as his thoughts began to wander again.

As far as he knew, of all the pilots, Duo had been the only one to leave Earth for the colonies. Duo hadn't spoke much to them in four years since then, and it wasn't as if he had a birthday for them to call up and say hello on. However, Duo did miss them, wondered how they were as any old friend would. Every one of them had their place Wufei with the Preventers, Quatre the CEO of Winner Corp., Trowa with Catherine's circus.

However, there was one who's place Duo had no knowledge of, Heero Yuy's. Heero had been the first to leave, actually, having beaten Duo to the punch. Heero, though, didn't wish anyone goodbye and it had stung the group fiercely. They all had known they would finally part ways at the end of the Eve Wars, but no one was planning on cutting ties. At least, Duo hadn't and he was sure Quatre was under the same opinion.

Then again, Heero had never been one to do what was expected of him. These thoughts were tossed aside as his eye light upon the familiar black case and he bent to make a grab for it. All things required in hand, Duo turned to the exits determined to enjoy his vacation.

"Welcome to Tokyo!" a young woman exclaimed in strongly accented English, waving cheerfully at the passersby from the same shuttle flight as Duo and handing out brightly coloured paper. He tried not to frown and instead offered the woman a smile, taking the brochure.

Stepping outside the shuttle port, leaving the sanctuary of the commercial building, he suddenly found himself immersed in a sea of black-hair. Blinking in sudden surprise, Duo remembered again exactly why he had first turned down Hilde's suggestion of visiting Japan.

"_How about Tokyo?" Hilde asked, picking up one of the many booklets spread on the dining room table between them. She opened it and gasped immediately, turning the pages with bright eyes. "You'll just love it there!"_

_Duo balked, stunned for a moment at the idea of Tokyo as his vacation destination. 'Everyone will…' he thought, hiding his face behind a Holland brochure as he frowned deeply. 'Will remind me of Heero…' "Nah, maybe not…"_

It was stupid now, he realized, watching the faces of the people who almost literally flowed around him, like a stream to a rock dropped in its center. None of them compared to Heero. None of them even had the same chocolate hue of hair! Shaking his head and stopping himself from insulting the race about him further, Duo looked around for a taxicab. It was to his hotel for a nap to slay the creeping exhaustion at the back of his eyes, and then off to the Tokyo nightlife. Duo had to grin at that.

* * *

The room was exactly what he had paid for which pleased Duo immensely. He dropped his duffel bag and suitcase without a care on the couch and headed towards the bed. It was one of those little "suites" where it had a sitting room kitchenette mutant when you walked in, preceded by the actual bedroom area and then the bathroom. 'Just like home,' Duo thought dryly, sitting on the too firm bed. 

Slipping off his shoes he started to make himself comfortable only to be rudely interrupted by the phone ringing. He frowned deeply, wondering whom just it could be calling him. Duo had yet to call Hilde and give her his hotel information and she'd call his mobile anyway. Standing warily to his feet he moved back into the sitting room and glared at the vid phone. After three more rings he finally did answer the call and was shocked at who just was calling him.

"Quatre?" he croaked, squinting at the blonde diplomat who was smiling one of those enigmatic smiles at him. The Winner heir appeared taller, as he sat perfectly straight, staring at Duo with amused aquamarine eyes. His platinum blonde hair fell elegantly about his face, curling here and there, yet not taking a notch of Quatre's undeniable masculinity. It was certainly different from the slight boy Duo had once knew, but a change that suited perfectly the man the boy had become.

"Hello, Duo," Quatre replied in a smooth baritone. Duo wondered why no one had alerted him that Jesus had returned, because it could only be so with his old blonde friend looking so…manly?

"Er, hi," Duo said, blinking as he realized it'd been a good minute. "What can I do for you?"

"Duo!" the diplomat exclaimed looking chastised. "Whatever makes you think I'd need something?"

"Well," he started, giving Quatre a dry look. "You couldn't have just had the whim to call me at my hotel when I'd never informed you either that I was planet side or in Japan. I think that about sums it up."

Quatre just looked all the more sheepish. "Its not entirely for that, I have missed you dearly," he went on to say, wringing his hands together in a nervous habit Duo had never seen before.

Waving a hand in the air as if to wave the matter off, Duo gave Quatre one of his all-familiar grins. "S'alright, even if you want to use me it is good to see your face, too," he joked, shrugging his shoulders and sitting in a chair.

Quatre smiled looking tired for the briefest of seconds, showing Duo the real man behind the smiling diplomat mask. "It is good to hear your voice, too," he said, making Duo really believe it. "But there is business in my call, sadly.

"You remember that Heero left without a trace after the Eve Wars? Well, I can't tell you the details," Quatre started, a worried look darkening his turquoise eyes. "But, he was supposed to take a mission for the Preventers, but has vanished once again on us. All of us, and especially Relena, are concerned. You—"

"Say no more, Quat," Duo said, raising a hand to stop the other. "I'm guessing you need my help finding him, then. This is Heero, however, and as much as I miss him I'm sure he hasn't gone missing without good reason."

"Yes," Quatre agreed, a small frown marring his features, as he stared distantly down at his twisting hands. "However, I believe if any of us, you will have the ability to find him."

Duo gave Quatre a hard long look, one that, Duo satisfied, made the Winner shift in his seat. "You've never been good at lying to your friends, Quat," the braided man finally said, ignoring Quatre's soft gasp of surprise. "But I'll help anyway. I'm not guaranteeing anything."

Quatre was subdued now, but he gave Duo a true smile now. "Thank you, Duo."

"Yeah, no problem, Quat. I'll talk to you later." And with that, he disconnected the call. Standing, he silently moved across the darkening room and collapsed into bed.

* * *

When Duo woke two hours later, he opened his eyes slowly to stare half-lidded at the ceiling. His naps usually never came with dreams, but it seemed this one had. It had started simple, a memory of the day and the fight he had with Heero on the last day he had seen the man. They were at Relena's ball; Duo was trying to bring Heero back to the party unawares that Heero was intent on leaving their—_his life_---lives forever. When Heero stormed off in frustration, Duo tried to chase him, but could never quite catch up and when Heero disappeared, he left behind the smell of blood and gunpowder. 

His life seemed to be stuck in confusion right now, between his strange dreams and the strange story unfolding about. It was like some bad action drama and Duo found himself the main character and not really sure if he liked the role. Despite what he had said about Quatre lying earlier, he wasn't really sure if he believed that the blonde man was. After all, why would Quatre have reason to lie? Duo would gladly help whether---No, that was wrong, Duo realized. A bitter taste filled his mouth.

Hopping off the bed, he shoved all these thoughts aside. "So much for a fucking vacation," he scoffed as he went to his duffel to dig out a toothbrush, hairbrush, and his toothpaste. Feeling the need to calm frayed nerves, Duo got ready to get a feel for the area of Tokyo he was temporarily residing.

A good tooth brushing and re-braiding later, Duo was out on the town. He looked up and down the street his hotel squatted on with a curious air. When he'd first arrived, he'd been so tired; he hadn't taken the time to look about. The street was busy with others with the same intent as Duo in mind, the distant glow of neon signs brightening many street corners.

With a small sigh, Duo decided he didn't feel up to a night of partying, and resolved instead for dinner. Stuffing his hands in jean pockets, the braided man set off down the street. He thought, vaguely, of the tour guidebook Hilde had gotten him. He had found it, earlier, while digging in his bag for a new hair tie and ended up tossing it immediately in a drawer. It was probably making good friends with the bible right now unneeded by Duo who wanted to get to know the town without some silly tourist book.

Eventually, Duo found a small, hole in the wall, ramen shop. The smells seeping from the door every time it chimed open made Duo's stomach scream in hunger at him. With a grin, Duo headed on in, making a beeline straight for the bar.

There was barely enough room in the place to breathe, let alone the five tables and bar that they had somehow managed to squeeze in there. Duo had just apparently missed the rush, it now empty besides himself and the girl behind the bar he now sat at. She looked at him a little in surprise as she walked down the no more than two feet of length of counter to where he perched on a stool at the corner.

"Hello, sir," she greeted him in English, hers far better than any of the people he'd met earlier today. "How may I be of service?"

"Well, miss," he drawled, leaning on the counter and propping his chin on one palm. "I'm here on vacation and not really sure what you're specialty is. How about you bring me your favorite and we'll see how that goes?"

She blinked, obviously surprised at such a notion, before smiling brightly and nodding. "My name is Kyoko and I'll be your server this evening," she said, making Duo realize he'd been approved for some reason, as she had not offered her name originally. "I hope you don't mind spicy!"

"Not at all," Duo said with a grin and a wink. "I like 'em hot."

A blush and a giggle later, the girl was gone leaving Duo alone for a good three minutes before the bell over the door chimed again, announcing the arrival of another late night customer. Someone hollered a welcome in Japanese from the kitchen, and Duo turned to observe his company. With a silent surprised gasp; he realized he was looking at none other than Heero Yuy himself.

The man was too intent on his cell phone to notice Duo's presence, taking a seat at the table closest to the front window, his back facing Duo. Duo's heart raced and his stomach clenched. Four years had passed since he'd seen this man one of the only people he'd ever been really close to, yet, he found himself hesitating to get up and go greet him. Cursing himself mentally for his foolery, he stood up silently and walked over to where Heero was sitting, plopping in the chair in front of him,

Heero didn't look up yet, holding a single finger up as his fingers flew over buttons. Duo found himself chuckling before he finally spoke up. "Hello, stranger," he said, quietly and softly, his only response to Heero's order of silence.

Heero's fingers stopped, and shocked cobalt eyes met his own grinning blue ones. They stared at each other for a good few minutes before Duo sighed and sat up straight in his chair, looking down at Heero with a raised brow. "Jeez, that how you greet a guy after four years?" he started in a mock hurt tone. "Here I thought I'd get a better start outta ya and at least maybe one _accidental_ hug or two. But nooo, just staring. What, have I got a pimple?"

Heero rolled his eyes and also sat back in his chair, slipping his phone away into a pants pocket and sizing Duo up. "You haven't gotten much taller," Heero observed, in his usual deep monotone.

"And now he insults me!" Duo exclaimed to the young lady server who had returned with two bowls, sitting one before each of them. Kyoko smiled at Duo and laughed before saying something to Heero in Japanese to which the man immediately responded making the girl laughed further. "How rude," Duo muttered, picking up his chopsticks and taking a bite of the noodles. The girl hadn't been lying when she'd said spicy, but it didn't make it any less good.

Duo looked up at Heero curiously, finding the girl gone and the other man doing that staring thing again. 'Maybe I do have a pimple,' Duo mused, staying silent until Heero was finally out with it on what he had to say.

"Why are you here?" Heero finally did ask after four minutes and Kyoko bringing them both cups of green tea, starting in on his ramen as well.

"I'm on vacation," Duo said after swallowing a bite of pork.

"Vacation?" Heero asked, incredulous.

"Yes, Hilde insisted I was driving her insane," Duo said, not noticing Heero's flinch as he looked down at his bowl, struggling to keep the noodles in the grasp of his chopsticks. "So I did."

"Not together?"

Duo's eyebrows furrowed. Why would he and Hilde go on vacation together? Oh. "No, not together," Duo said carefully, looking up at Heero sharply. "Why would you think together?" Duo knew why, didn't mean he wouldn't ask, though.

"I thought you were a couple," Heero replied, matter-of-factly.

"Well, you can unfile as being so," the braided man replied curtly, stirring the few remaining noodles in the broth.

Heero looked sympathetic, surprising Duo immensely, before asking, "You seemed pretty close after the wars, what happened?"

"Just didn't work out," Duo found himself replying, grabbing the tea cup to warm his hands. He didn't elaborate further, never having been sure why it never worked.

"I'm sorry," said Heero softly, that sympathetic look back again making a shiver run through Duo. Who is this man?

Duo's importune dinner companion rose then, glancing at his watch. "I've got to go," Heero said, slipping a small card from his pocket, "Keep in touch?" The chocolate haired man placed the card before Duo and then was gone.

Duo stared at the crisp, white, small sheet of paper before finally throwing money down for them both and leaving. He wondered how the card had jumped from the table and into his pocket.

* * *

The blue light of the laptop's start up cast a strangely familiar eerie glow on the dark hotel room, making Duo squint against the sudden intense light. He wasn't quite sure, still, what had happened earlier. He'd met Heero, he realized that, but the man…wasn't the one he knew so long ago. No, even that was wrong, Heero was still Heero…just…different? Older? Mature? 

Duo scoffed at this, fingers flying over the keys as he typed in his name and pass code to access the laptop. When had Heero never been mature? Realizing this, however, got him no closer to wrapping his mind around just what was different about Heero. It also didn't explain why he had his laptop out either. Despite that the business card Heero had given him had no more than an email address on it, did not mean that Duo actually had to email him…especially so soon.

Making a noise of frustration he ran a hand jerkily through his hair and slipped down in his chair to stare at the dark ceiling. It loomed overhead, cast in a dim blue colour from the wallpaper of his background, holding no answers to Duo's problems. "I'm just a desperate fool, aren't I?" he asked it, not really excepting an answer.

Shaking his head, he sat back up and stared at the desktop background, not really seeing it. Shouldn't he be angry for Heero having so easily tossed them aside as he had? Shouldn't he want to scream and yell at the man for…? For what? Heero'd done no more than what Duo had been planning to do, just with a more definite and final air about it. Did Duo really have the right to blame the Japanese pilot?

"No," he said aloud, opening the email program with one hand and grabbing the business card of Heero's with the other. 'We're just the same, he and I.'

With a determined air, he started the email. It didn't end up being heartfelt, mushy, or any way near being girly, as he feared may come from his sudden nostalgic mood. Instead, it was short and too the issues at hand, easy for someone like Heero Yuy to read and understand. Duo'd sum it up in three words: What the fuck.

No one had said Duo had to be eloquent. He'd put less crude terms, but when it came down to it, the three-sentence paragraph meant nothing more and nothing less. He could only hope Heero would be willing to answer his plea for some sort of understanding in the mess.

Was he really a Preventer agent now? Duo found himself believing it could be, but a part of him cried out 'no' to him. Heero had been very adamant after Une had given the man no promise that Heero would not have to take another's life. Even as Une persisted, Wufei tried to cajole, and Relena pouted, Heero had stayed firm in his answer. Would the man have gone back on that in the last four years? Duo could see that happening if something prompted the man into doing so, but as far as he knew, nothing that monumental had happened terrorist wise since the Eve Wars.

Sending the email, Duo could only trust Heero to tell him what was going on. That was what it all came down to, trust. He wasn't sure if he could trust Quatre, Duo already felt the man could have lied to him about the whole mission business. The others…'damned,' he thought with frustration, 'who knows about them.'

Looking at the computer clock that displayed midnight to his squinting eyes, he realized just how tired he was. Sighing, he grabbed a book and his reading glasses, clambered onto the bed and settled for the night. Maybe tomorrow would bring more answers. After all, he had six more days Earth side left in this shambles of a vacation.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	2. two: Don't say this Now

**A/N**: Wow! Thanks for all the comments and reviews! It makes me so happy to see people are enjoying my story. Review more! It makes me write faster. SRSLY. 8D

* * *

"_If I don't say this now I will surely break  
As I'm leaving the one I want to take  
Forgive the urgency but hurry up and wait  
My heart has started to separate_"

The Fray "Look After You"

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**

* * *

The next morning, Duo Maxwell was woken out of his sleep by his cell phone ringing cheerfully by his head. With a start he jumped up, book flying in one direction, his vision askew by the reading glasses hanging crazily on his face. Grabbing the small electronic device lazily, he pressed it to his ear. 

"Whut?" he demanded grumpily into the phone, pulling his glasses carefully of his face and looking for where the book had just flown.

"Oh please," came Hilde's cheerful reply. Duo glanced at the clock. It was seven am, far to early for him to be up _and_ cheerful. "Good morning, sunshine"

"Woman, its seven am here, there'd better be a reason behind this call," he grumped more, having found the book far too far away for him to retrieve without moving from his comfortable position.

"Duh," she said, sounding exasperated. "You're on vacation! Sleeping in is wasting the day, man. Get out there!"

"Sorry, sweetie," he replied in a mock tone of her own. "But none of the lovely attractions open till nine!"

"Oh," came the disappointed reply. "Well, you're just in time for breakfast then."

Duo's stomach chorused its agreement and he sighed, struggling to get up from bed, glasses and book discarded as he slumped across the room to his laptop. "God, I need a cigarette."

"No you do not, mister!" Hilde scolded, tone leaving no room for argument. Duo grinned, knowing just how to ruffle the girl's feathers. The expression faltered as yesterday came back in mind, and the conversation with Heero ran through his head.

He cleared his throat, suddenly nervous. Hilde didn't seem to notice, however, forgetting the cigarette business to go on about some great restaurants she had looked up in Tokyo that he should visit. Duo found himself smiling soon, suddenly glad that he did have such a good friend who was completely unawares of the whole mess suddenly around him.

"Those places sound great," he said, wondering why he was suddenly pondering if Heero had been to any of them. Now, he wondered if he should tell Hilde about Heero.

As she continued happily on, he decided against it. It would ruin Hilde's joy at his vacation, a pleasure he found hard to understand, as Heero had always been a touchy subject between them. Another unknown in his life. Burying these thoughts away, he brought himself back to the present and Hilde's talk of amusement parks.

Soon the conversation ended, Hilde saying a customer had arrived and Duo wishing her luck with the sale. He pressed the end call button the device and tossed it on the bed, plopping down in the chair before his laptop without his usual grace.

Deciding to check his email he found, to his infinite surprise two emails from Heero Yuy, a reply to his one last night, and none other than Relena Darlian. With immense curiosity, Duo opened the email from the female first and found a lengthy email going on about her worries over Heero and her thankfulness that Duo was helping. Basically, it was the mushy equivalent to what he had been trying to avoid the night before. However, it did make him feel better, especially since, in a way, he had found Heero already. Didn't mean he'd be telling the diplomat, maybe Heero didn't want to be found yet…

Closing out of Relena's email, he opened Heero's. The man took 'short and concise' to a whole new level, saying in two sentences that he was glad to see Duo again and that should meet the next day outside Duo's hotel. No, not asking if they could, saying that they _should_. 'Oh, Heero, I've missed you so.'

Sending off a quick reply of consent to Heero's email, he stared at Relena's in his inbox. Should he reply to it? And if he did reply, what in the hell should he say to the woman? They were never _close_-close, but they were friends and he didn't want her to worry needlessly. However, he supposed it was Heero's choice, whether the Wing pilot wanted to be found again was not Duo's decision. He wondered why his chest ached as he thought that.

Shaking his head at his silly sentimentality, and wondering if Relena's words had gone to his head, he shutdown the laptop. No more hiding in his hotel room. He had a town to paint red.

* * *

First stop was Shinjuku. Duo, despite what anyone might think, really did love to shop. Plus, he had nearly forty people back on L2 that he'd promised souvenirs to. From his map, it wasn't too far from his hotel, and a nice walk sounded great. The idea of being a tourist on vacation was distraction enough for the young man. Once, during the war, he had planned on visiting every spot he'd gone to during the wartime as a tourist one day, to see the sights as they should be seen, not through the eyes of a terrorist. However, these plans seemed to have been long put on hold, with his and Hilde's salvage yard taking the front burner in his life, all dreams seemed foolish in the face of everyday life. 

Now, though, they seemed fresh and tasted as wonderful as they day they'd first crossed his mind. With these new people milling around him, living lives Duo had never seen before, the prospect of travel to see more of these Earth-grounded people was exciting. They were all very different from those of the colonies. It was strange, but Duo realized it all around him, the way they talked to each other, interacted was all at variance to colonists. In the many years the colonies had floated over head, it seemed the people above had formed their own universal interaction, while the Earth stayed to true to its own.

Soon the massive shopping district came into view, populated immensely by shoppers and holding true to the name of one of the most popular destinations if city-goers. With a grin to split his face, he started his own personal tour of the place, getting to know every shop and every clerk there personally. People smiled and greeted him easily, understanding and tolerating the little bit of Japanese he knew and being as helpful as ever.

After a few little choice stores he stumbled upon the colossal store Odakyu with surprise and excitement. He had read about this store in the tour guide on the shuttle ride in, it had sixteen floors of shopping bliss and even a food department that the guide had boasted pleasantly about. Stomach growling again in annoyance at being ignored for so long, Duo decided this was the place to eat, and headed on inside.

Duo had certainly never been to any place like this before. He'd been to almost every colony twice and the malls there were never like this. Due to the fact they could only be a certain height, the colony malls were spread out flat and required much more walking. Earth's malls were always towering and massive, full of thousands of stores and wonders that made Duo giddy at the thought.

Finding the food court, Duo found himself very, very thankful Hilde had insisted it was Japan he went to. He found himself loving the place more and more with every glance. The place was just so alive! Not to mention the shopping _and_ the food. Munching happily on some freshly made authentic sushi that was nothing like that made at his local grocery store, Duo contemplated his next destination. Figuring that he should at least look around Odakyu instead of just eating there he decided that this would probably spend most of his days. After all, sixteen freaking floors.

* * *

Five hours, six shopping bags, and two aching feet later Duo found himself stepping out of a cab back at his hotel. He stared up at the four steps of stairs with apprehension before finally climbing the things. Despite his slow gait, he found himself quickly back in his room, spilling large shopping bags onto his bed. 

Staring at them all with a critical eye, he pulled out a small slip of paper that ended up being a napkin. After thinking on needing to get souvenirs for his friends at lunch earlier that day, he'd made a list of all the names of people he needed to shop for. Staring at the sloppily written names in his half-cursive half-print writing, he counted that he had successfully shopped for ten people in total. It was a satisfying feeling, and Duo knew there was nothing better than giving gifts to your loved ones.

Throwing himself on his bed next to the bags, he grunted in happiness at the small little cube of mint chocolate on his pillow and indulged in consuming the thing, finding himself looking at the ceiling again. This staring contest ending quickly, as he sat up and looked over at his laptop, sitting innocently open, glowing softly in the afternoon lit. On. It was on. Eyes narrowing, he looked around the room with a more alert air. Someone had been in his room, and still was, he realized as he slowly got up from his bed.

They had been sloppy thus far, obviously hoping that Duo would be staying out later than he had. "I know you're here," Duo announced with a bored tone, eyes glaring about the room. "So save yourself the trouble and show yourself."

There was movement from the bathroom, making the braided man tense, ready for action until he found himself once again incredulous on his vacation. Chang Wufei stepped out of his hotel bathroom with an air of chastised petulance. They stared each other down for a good minute, one blue confused gaze becoming irritated and the other black one becoming even guiltier, though no less dignified.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Duo demanded, none to kindly. He felt he had the right to, all that and more for blatant the invasion of privacy.

Wufei cleared his throat, fixing the sleeves of his sports jacket unnecessarily before answering with a slightly raised brow, "Nothing much."

With an explosion of breath in an exasperated sigh, Duo shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Wufei," he said with a smile that was only annoyed now, not ready to 'punch-your-head-into-the-wall-to-see-if-it'd-bleed-answers' in the least anymore, making the Chinese man visibly relax. "There had better be a damn good answer."

"There is," Wufei replied, sitting casually and as if he belonged there in one of the chairs at Duo's kitchenette table. "I was just seeing if you had any information, yet, on Yuy's whereabouts."

Duo was suddenly glad he had put the business card in his wallet this morning. Making and irritated noise, Duo perched on the corner of his bed. "I'm on vacation," he said, rolling his eyes. "I haven't exactly been thinking about finding Heero Yuy, sorry."

"You have made contact—"

"Wait," Duo held up a hand, the 'punching-head-in-wall' look back. "You've been _following_ me?"

Wufei looked nervous and guilty all at once and Duo knew he had. Throwing his arms up in frustration, Duo stood and stormed across the room to go look out his third story window, hoping to quell his anger over the matter with the scenic view. It wasn't very helpful, actually. All he saw was his angry reflection staring back at him and the vague shape of Wufei standing up behind him.

"My apologies, Duo," Wufei said, after a good pause of silence. "I am currently on a mission here in Tokyo for other reasons but am taking up Heero's disappearance as a personal matter. Relena has come to me and asked for my help, I could not refuse her."

"She didn't ask you to go through my things," Duo snapped, whipping around and ignoring the thump as his braid hit the glass window from the force of the motion. "She didn't ask you to fucking follow me! What's the big deal, huh? Can't you just leave the guy alone?"

Wufei still looked as guilty and nervous as he had the last time Duo looked at him, and Duo made an irritated noise again at the look. It meant nothing to him now, he felt betrayed. "Duo, please, you must understand," Wufei said, gently as if Duo were some sort of raging animal.

"No," he said, firmly. "I take back what I said, I am not helping you. You've broken the trust by invading my privacy and are certainly not helping by telling me what the fuck is going on here. It'd be best if you'd just leave, Wufei."

"But you---"

"Leave."

Wufei gave him one last look, one that Duo pointedly turned his head away to, to stare at the wall beside him. He didn't look back until he heard the door click shut. Leaning against the cool glass behind him, Duo glared into space. What the hell was going on here? Why were they so desperate for Heero to return? Was there a threat to the peace? Or was Relena just antsy and stirring up trouble?

Cursing all this confusion, Duo stormed about his room, changing into clubbing clothes and leaving. He would forget all this mess under the guise of a tourist again, and waste the night away with drinking, smoking, dancing and whatever else it took to rid this ache.

* * *

The pounding was insistent, just in tune with the throb of his headache, and the flimsy hotel door shook under the power of it. Whoever was knocking at his door when Duo Maxwell had a hangover had better have a good reason, or they'd be met all to welcomingly with a fist. Storming as carefully as he could without jostling his noggin, Duo headed to the door and threw it open. 

"Fuck off!" he hissed, even when he'd seen it was Heero Yuy on his proverbial doorstep. Heero just raised a single brow and gently pushed past Duo, straight into the room without a care. 'Damned Asians, gotta come in my place as if they own the freaking thing,' Duo growled mentally, closing the door quietly and rounding to glare at his fellow pilot.

Heero wasn't paying attention, and was instead flipping through the novel Duo had been peacefully reading before having been rudely interrupted. Duo just sighed, done with waiting for an answer, and collapsed on the bed with a moan.

This triggered the other man into breaking his silence, "Its past time for our meeting," the man said, obviously irked on the matter. Duo supposed Heero had the right to be angry; it was a good hour past their arrangement.

"Yeah, I know," Duo replied, rolling over to give a sheepish look at Heero. "I just woke up an half hour ago."

"With a hang over," Heero concluded, suddenly amused.

"Unfortunately," Duo griped, rubbing at his temples. "Your banging didn't help."

"No," Heero said completely unapologetic. "But, we still have a lot of the day left."

Duo stared at Heero, blinking his large blue eyes at the other. "We do?" he asked, not sure if he was hearing the other man correctly.

"Yes, _we_ do," the Japanese pilot declared, again, giving Duo a stern look. "I made an arrangement with you, are you going to blow me off?"

"Maybe," was the muffled reply, Duo had long since stuffed his head in a pillow, deciding that Heero was somehow making his headache worse.

Heero sighed and Duo knew that was his cue. The braided man sat up, scowling to himself for being so soft, and stood slowly to his feet. "I need to get dressed, then," Duo announced and Heero said nothing, not that he was expected to. With a sigh of his own, nearly matching that of Heero's in frustration, Duo slumped to the bathroom.

Once there, he stared fruitlessly at his reflections, marking off the things that had changed about him since Heero last saw him. He certainly, as Heero had already kindly pointed out, hadn't gotten any taller. Perhaps an inch or two, but no more than that, obviously destined to live his life a shrimp. His face had sharpened, more masculine angles on the heart shaped face, and all traces of baby-fat long vanished.

Duo was never one for vanity, but he felt he looked pretty damn good. Better than the next guy could look, at least. Heero definitely had him long beat in the looks department, even in their youth when the boy was scrawny Heero had this certain way about him. Now, having come into his manhood, Heero was the epitome of handsome.

"Watching you get dressed is an interesting experience," came Heero's voice from right beside him, making Duo jump a good foot away from the other. Heero was casually leaning in the open bathroom doorway, a single slim brow raised, adding to that smug and amused expression.

Duo frowned, glared and took a step towards Heero. "No one asked you," he said, placing his palm flat against Heero's chest and leaning in close. Then with a loud 'humph!' Duo pushed as hard as he could, sending the taller man a few stumbling steps back, and slamming the door resolutely after.

Wincing at the noise, Duo turned and looked at the shower. He was definitely in desperate need of one after last night. Nodding his head in the most determined fashion he could manage, Duo set about getting himself ready to spend a day with Heero Yuy. It was a thought that almost made him groan aloud, but somehow happy none the least.

* * *

"You make me nostalgic," Duo sighed, sitting down next to Heero who was reading the newspaper. 

Heero glanced at him, folding the paper and setting it on the bedspread beside him. "Oh?" he asked rhetorically. "I can say the same for you."

"Nostalgia gives me gas," Duo said, having not once looked at Heero instead staring wistfully ahead.

Heero was snorted in surprise, obviously having not thought this was what was going to come out of the other's mouth. "Keep that to yourself then," he said, laughter lilting his voice.

Duo suddenly whipped his head around to glare at Heero with narrow eyes. "Who _are_ you?"

"Heero Yuy."

"No!" Duo denied.

"Yes."

"No!"

"We could go on like this all day," the Japanese man said, standing and walking across the room to grab his coat.

"Well, _we_ have so much of it left! Why not?" Duo mocked, crossing his arms, and turning to glare at the wall.

"Duo," Heero said, brows furrowing. Duo refused to look at Heero, setting his jaw tight at the sound of his voice. "Why're you acting this way?"

"Why?!" Duo burst out, standing suddenly to glare harshly at Heero. "Because---!" Stopping, Duo frowned, tense shoulders slumping and head lowering to stare at the floor. "Because…I don't understand."

Heero waited for the other to elaborate, and when Duo didn't, he gently prompted the other. This earned him a death glare that rivaled his own for his efforts, but did get Duo to continue, nonetheless.

"I don't understand why you want to "hang out" with me," Duo said, making the quotation marks with two fingers and everything. "After you left so suddenly, I just don't understand why you would want to be my friend now when you didn't want to be then!"

Heero flinched, diverting his eyes. "I…"

"What, Heero?" Duo said, voice soft now as he dropped back down to sitting on the bed. "I…I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled or said those things…its not my place…and I—"

"No," Heero interrupted, voice far firmer than before. "Its your right to know…just not yet, okay?"

Duo looked up, confusion clouding bright blue. "When, then?"

"…Soon, as long as you tell me why you kept away yourself," Heero said, gaze getting its familiar stern glare.

Duo nodded, raising three fingers in scout's honor. "I promise."

"Then so do I."

* * *

Please review!

To be continued…


	3. three: see this through

**A/N:** Another chapter! Yay! THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR REVIEWS. Really does make me write. In fact, I'd have stopped this silly train wreck ages ago if it weren't for you guys!

I normally don't reply to reviews here (and I hope y'all dun hate me for that fact) but **shevaleon** brought up something that piqued my interest. Their question was: '**One thing that I don't like though - you're writing an AU, which is post-Wars series, then why do you keep mentioning the current place-names?**' Why you ask? Well because I am an uncreative lazy bastard who likes current Japan and hopes to high heaven the place never changes.  
BUT, if I must be reasonable, I do have an adequate answer: when does Gundam ever show us that planet Earth has changed? The most they show us of planet Earth's culture is that in the form of military bases and the occasional Victorian mansion belonging to Trieze or happenstance Relena's school. So, I took me some artistic license and played off on this lack of depth in Earth. I certainly can't say it's like the colonies, that'd be dumb, so I just took current time and put it there. Sure, I coulda made up new places or such, but why do that when I can use current places now and put you further into the situation? It just makes it easier to relate to, s'all.

As for other questions, I think they're all kinda spoilertastic. I'm hoping this chapter answers a few questions and opens some new ones! And again, THANKS SO MUCH GUYZ.

**OH: TITLE CHANGE PENDING. Don't be confused if it does happen!!!**

**xxxxxxx**

**CHAPTER THREE; see this through**

"_I know it's not enough to say I'm wrong  
You know that I will miss you now you're gone  
I know it's not your life to see this through  
Just know that in my heart, it beats for you  
So leave a little note for me behind  
I swear I have to know the reasons why  
This won't survive_"

Amber Pacific – Fall Back Into My Life

**xxxxxxx**

"Where are we going?" Duo whined, rubbing temples as they sat in one of the many train cars on the Tokyo subway. The jittery movements of the train and the constant roar of the tunnel they traveled through were doing nothing to quell his aching brain matter.

"Secret."

"You said that before," he groaned.

"And I'll say it again," was Heero's logical answer.

'Stupid enigmatic ,' Duo thought sullenly, crossing his arms petulantly and sulking spectacularly. And if that snort from his unfortunate, on his part that is, Japanese companion was intended for him some serious was gonna go down. An unhappy Duo Maxwell was one thing, but an insulted, hung-over Duo was a whole different story.

In all actuality, despite his cross attitude, Duo was quite giddy at being able to spend the day with Heero; a prospect he would have never of seen coming. The effect was slightly ruined by his encounter with Wufei the day previous and his not-so-appropriate reaction to it involving alcohol and one of Tokyo's wildest clubs, but hey, he was human. Thoughts drifting elsewhere, he shifted in his seat, leaning backward in an attempt to get comfortable in the uncomfortable plastic chair that also happened to have been adorned with the most atrocious shade of orange he had ever laid eyes upon. Really, what was train décor coming to these days?

The train came to a slow and steady stop, few people standing and apparently the odd couple made by two Gundam pilots was among them. A warm hand clamped tightly on his wrist and Duo glared up at Heero about to protest but was unable to as he was pulled quickly off the train. The car doors slipped shut, nearly on Duo's shin, as they stepped out to join the many people milling on the platform. Barely anyone paid them any attention and the two returned the favor, Heero preoccupied with getting them wherever they were going and Duo preoccupied with trying to transfer the pain in his head to Heero's with only his mind.

The minute they stepped from the shade of the platform, Duo was assaulted once again by how bright and beautiful a day it was. Groaning, he pulled the ball cap further down over his eyes, ducking his head and staring futilely at the slightly darker pavement.

"This is the Komagome station," Heero said as if Duo would care and smiled at the irritated grunt he got in response. "We were going to go straight there, but I think we'll make a stop along the way."

"Whatever!" Duo exclaimed in an exasperated explosion of breath, pulling out the sunglasses he just realized he had from his coat pocket and glaring heatedly at Heero from behind the dark shades.

The conversation, if it could be considered that, last a grand total of one minute and after its immediate termination they were once again off. Heero led a once again and Duo found nothing more to do than to follow, something he found himself surprisingly skilled at. Maybe it was the after-effects of alcohol on his system, either way it was a new thing to him.

To say the braided man was pleased when Heero's destination turned out to be a drug store would be foolery for the expression on Duo's face spoke volumes otherwise. "A convenience store," Duo said in obvious disbelief.

"We're picking something up."

"Really."

Heero gave him a look, which Duo returned, and Heero again countered. It didn't get them anywhere, besides somehow blindly navigating down an aisle, but felt good just the same. Heero looked away, Duo considered his victory but was soon faced with a new adversary: a bottle of liquid. What this mysterious concoction was could not be discerned as, unfortunately for him, Duo lacked in all things reading Japanese. Frowning and blinking, he looked up at his companion who was holding said bottle before his face.

"Whut."

"We're here for this, its Eki-Kyabe," Heero answered, retracting the bottle and heading to the cashier.

"Oh," Duo said, standing there and not really believing that his knowing 'oh' was all that knowing. Shaking his head at this strange Japanese man he'd decided to devote a day to, he followed the other out of the store.

Once outside and soon seated comfortably on a bench, Heero dropped the vial of eeky-ke-yuhbay or whatever in his lap and firmly instructed he'd consume it. Duo again found himself repeating, "Whut."

"Drink it, baka."

"Why should I?" Duo asked, picking up the cool glass bottle and holding it up. The sun reflected through the liquid, casting a golden hue on his cheek. It didn't make it any more appetizing.

"Eki-Kyabe is used to cure hangovers," Heero explained patiently, taking the bottle from the braided man and popping open the green cap. Holding it out for his friend he reiterated, "Drink."

"Fine, fine!" Duo took the bottle and downed it in one fluid movement, head tilted fully backward, the muscles in his neck fully exposed as they worked the liquid down his throat. Making a face, he shoved the bottle back into Heero's waiting hand and made a show of attempting to remove the taste from his mouth. "Gross!"

"Well, if you drink shots like you drank this, its no surprise you're hungover," the taller Japanese man said, standing up and twisting the cap back on the empty bottle. "Shall we be off?"

"What, didn't take me half across Japan to get me Eki-whatever?" Duo snarked back, standing to his feet, ready to follow the other despite his words. At the lack of dizziness or nausea at his sudden jump to his feet, he blinked, noticing that the headache was not nearly as bad as before as well. Frowning, he hurried to catch up with Heero, realizing that the medicine really had worked.

At Heero's lack of response to his attitude, Duo quietly said, "Thank you."

"Its no problem."

Duo wondered if it really was.

**xxxxxxx**

"I never thought that I'd find crepes in Japan," Duo said, sitting down in one of the many benches of the Rikugien gardens, munching happily on said French dessert. He and Heero had both gotten strawberries to top there, something that the braided man thought they'd have in common. "Or that I'd be eating them, here, with you in such a beautiful place."

He smiled, sitting back in the old wooden bench, and looking down at the still water that reflected the brilliant blue sky above. There was such peace in this gorgeous place. Who would have thought that such a piece of beauty would be found in the concrete jungle that was Tokyo? It was like Central Park of New York, only with sakura trees and far more teahouses.

This had been the destination Heero had had in mind for them to spend their day, and Duo had gone and messed that up as always. However, it seemed all fixed now, or at least as best as it could be. In truth, the braided man could think of no better way to spend the third day of his vacation.

Taking a bite from his crepe he glanced at his companion, finding that he was the center of Heero's attention. An odd thing that. A habit that Duo had either never noticed before or was only reserved for himself: this staring thing Heero did. Then again…Duo had seen that look before and knew it was better suited for a queen.

Swallowing, he licked the cream off his lips and turned to fully face Heero, seemingly breaking the other man from his daze. "Sooo," Duo started, picking at the napkin wrapped carefully around his crepe, something Heero had so tenderly done for him. "What's been happening with you?"

"Nothing really, just living a life," was Heero's vague reply. Intense eyes had focused elsewhere now, making Duo feel a bit empty inside.

"Sounds exciting," snorted Duo dryly, eyes rolling towards the sky as if to ask it whether it could help him move this conversation along. "Anything particular besides breathing, eating, and involved?"

The look the American got for that wasn't as amused as he had hoped. He wondered, absently, why whenever they got off the topic of literature or current logistics of shuttles and on to things like personal life Duo found himself running face first into a brick wall. It hurt.

"Nothing more that matters."

"Nice," Duo said, sighing heavily and looking at his crepe that had become far less interesting in the last few minutes. "So, you just spend your days reading about dead guys, eating crepes, and walking around gardens. Damn lucky ."

Standing with a mumble of finding a bathroom, he wandered off, following the pond around until he found a trash can to drop his unfinished crepe in and then off to look around without a reclusive Japanese around. Tugging on his braid uncertainly, he wondered, just wondered, what he had done to deserve such defensiveness from the other man? Did the things he was asking fall under the category of what they had already agreed on not talking about? Duo was sure this was not the case.

It made no sense! None of these people who he once considered friends, who all consecutively decided it was time to with Duo, were making any sense! Quatre, Heero, Relena, Wufei, all of them! Now all they needed was Trowa to run up and started blabbering off about bunnies and then everyone would be perfectly out of character!

The mental rant hadn't gotten him anywhere, only angrier and even more confused and lost under a willow tree in the infinite garden. It didn't work on those who weren't there to hear it and didn't make him feel any better. Collapsing onto a bench at the base of the looming tree, he buried his face in his hands and just breathed. It was the only thing he could find to do that made much sense.

Maybe he should just get a shuttle ticket and get off the god-forsaken planet, get away from all these crazy people. A relaxing vacation had turned into a test in futility for him and Duo was definitely failing it. Dropping his hands, he shook his head and leaned back against the bench, looking out across the pond again and watching the willow leaves trail against the still waters.

Out of the corner of his eye, his attention drew to the glimmer of the sun reflecting off something. Turning his head that way, he squinted at it, wondering just what it could be. Warning bells went off in his head and he hurriedly got to his feet, despite realizing the slim chances of a sniper being here of all places to get at him, he still trusted his instincts. Giving it one last curious glance he turned to leave the canopy of the willow and ran smack dab into Heero.

"Ow!" Duo exclaimed clutching the nose that had just been rammed into a chest of pure man-steel. "Watch where you're going!" he said loudly and nasally, glaring up at the other man.

Heero snorted and then laughed outright at the sight of Duo, which only made the American grumble further. Duo rolled his eyes and pushed past the other man, storming off to wherever he could most easily make an excuse up for going to. Footsteps soon told him that Heero was following and he made an irritated noise.

"I thought you were going to the bathroom," Heero ventured.

Duo contemplated taking the bait. Cursing himself a fool, he did. "What are you talking about, I did."

"No, you wandered off to that willow and have been sitting under it for the past half hour."

Had it really been that long? Jeez---Wait. Duo stopped mid-step and turned to look incredulously at Heero. "Are you implying that you followed me?" he demanded.

Heero looked embarrassed, averting his blue eyes elsewhere. "No…"

"Sorry! Wrong answer; don't collect two hundred dollars, don't advance another space," Duo exclaimed, pointing accusingly at Heero. "You're a damned liar, you know that? I went too far for you to watch and yet you have the nerve to take me for a fool who wouldn't notice."

"Oops."

Duo made a loud very agitated noise, throwing his arms up in the air and exclaiming with vehemence, "ASIANS!"

**xxxxxxx**

Duo opened his hotel room door and walked inside, barely sparing a glance to the space around him or to the man who followed. Heero watched amusedly as Duo plopped down on the bed and kicked off his shoes, still ignoring the Japanese man pointedly. Heero sighed as if pained and sat down beside Duo.

"I'm sorry I told the old woman you were mentally disabled," Heero said plainly, not sounding apologetic at all. "She just wondered why you were yelling, and we all know that we all did. Besides, how was I supposed to know you had taken Japanese lessons before you came?"

Duo sat back, having removed his feet from their sneaker and sock prison, and gave Heero a look that spoke wonders for how much he forgave Heero. The Japanese man sighed again and shook his head, chuckling slightly.

"Y'see that?" Duo demanded, pointing at Heero's mouth. "That is the bane of my existence. Everything that leaves it either pisses me of or leaves me absolutely miserable." At Heero's confused look, the braided man just sighed and shook his head. "Whatever. It doesn't matter, just go on your way."

Heero nodded, stood slowly to his feet and made his way to the door. Half way there, he paused and turned back, an unreadable expression clouding his features. "I'm sorry, Duo," he said, softly. Duo made a show of ignoring him again, head turned sharply to the side and his eyebrows drawn tight over angry violet. "There are just some things out of my control."

And with those prophetically confusing words, Heero left Duo once again to wallow desperately in a torrent of unknowns. Little did he know he was tangled far further than either he or Heero had ever expected.

**xxxxxxx**

The next day found Duo Maxwell venturing back out into the expansive city streets of Tokyo. Thus far, his day had been going smashingly, he had nearly cleared his entire list, a select few remaining, and had enjoyed his vacation wonderfully. Gone from his mind were thoughts of anti-social Japanese asses, invading Chinese bastards, and whiney diplomats. Instead, he thought of what a nice day it was and how friendly Japanese people were, especially to tourists.

After lightening his load of shopping bags from all sorts of stores ranging from Ohayo-Koneko and Suny, he went out again. This time, however, in search of sustenance in the form of a late lunch. It was then; a relatively uneventful day took a turn into the shocking.

"Maxwell."

It was then that once again, Chang Wufei walked uninvited back into his life. Duo stopped in his steps and turned to the Chinese man, raising a brow and quelling the need to punch the other's lights out. "Wu-man," he said jovially, sparing a grin for the other though it didn't meet his eyes. "What's up?"  
If the blatant disrespect of his name irritated Wufei in anyway, he hid it well, stepping away from the wall to bow slightly at the waist. "I've come to extend my apologies for my disrespectful behavior the other day," the ebony-haired man announced cordially.

Duo looked about, smiling nervously at the people who had stopped to stare at the odd interaction. Taking Wufei's arm and jabbing all protest out of the Chinese man with the sharp angle of his elbow, he said through a smile that was too much teeth, "Then why don't you make it up to me? I'm peckish, let's be off."

There was no obvious protest, so the braided man dragged his new companion off in a random direction, not even sure of where they could go. "I have a place in mind," Wufei said, suddenly, detaching himself from Duo's arm, which earned him a puckish flutter of lashes from the American, and waving for the other to follow. For the second day in a row, Duo found himself being led around like some lost pup.

The restaurant Wufei had been meaning certainly was classier than Duo had ever divined. Looking down at his meager outfit of jeans and a slightly wrinkled pale blue button down, he sent an incredulous look at Wufei. The Chinese man shrugged and the host seemed to pay no mind, and seated them anyway.

"I come here often," Wufei answered at Duo's unspoken question. They settled down into the traditional seating of the Japanese, tatami mats and all, on small square pillows that were more comfortable than they looked. The low table was awkward at first for Duo, but once he adjusted his legs enough, he sat comfortably before it.

Duo looked at the menu dubiously, before shaking his head almost amusedly and saying, "I'm having whatever you're having, Wufei," and setting aside the entirely Japanese thing. Wufei looked amused, a small smile stretching pale lips, before he nodded and set aside his own menu.

"It will be spicy," the Asian man warned.

"Bring it on," the American challenged.

Smirking, Wufei looked up as the waiter arrived and placed their orders in fluent Japanese. As soon as their server had departed, Duo turned a critical gaze on his dining companion. "So, if you're on a mission to find Heero, yet come here often," Duo said slowly, as if putting two and two together. "You've been on this 'find the Gundam pilot in a hay stack' mission for a while then?"

Wufei shook his head, sighing softly as it was obviously a subject he had not wished to speak on, however, realized he had no choice. "No, I only recently was assigned," Wufei said, sitting up a bit straighter in response to Duo's visual inspection. "I have been under the charge of protecting Miss Darlian as of late and she has recently been attending business here in Japan. As such, I have spent much time in the area, it is also a reason behind my having been assigned this mission."

"I see," Duo said; glad to have had something cleared up for once. "I found Heero pretty damned easily, as you know, yet you obviously are failing," he tried not to smile at Wufei's wince, "wonder why that is."

"It is my belief, Maxwell," Wufei responded, that old fiery anger showing true and making the American man grin in pleasure. "That Yuy chose to show himself to you and it was not that you yourself found him."

"Oh?" Duo said, nodding to the waiter who brought them a bottle of sake and the small drinking glasses to drink them in. "Are you saying that not only were you, Wufei, following me, but Heero Yuy as well? Damned popular I am!" He poured himself a glass of the rice wine and sipped at it, nose crinkling slightly at its bitter flavor.

"That is what I'm saying," Wufei repeatedly plainly as if Duo was hard of hearing and understanding. "I have been looking for Yuy for nearly a month now. You've only complicated matters," the Chinese man paused, sipping his own sake, and then continued, "it seems that since your arrival he has not only shown himself publicly for the first time in gods know how long, but has also gone further into hiding. I have no idea how that man does it, but before I had nearly caught him. Now? Bah!"

Duo nodded, realizing that now this whole dinner-with-the-Chinese-man-who-talks-a-lot-when-provoked-idea was brilliant and wonderfully executed. He deserved a medal. Sipping thoughtfully at his drink and playing his role well, he looked contemplatively at Wufei. "So you're saying that I've both brought him out and made him disappear even more? Kind of contradictory, wouldn't you say?"

"Very," the Chinese man said, nodding and sighing. "It's certainly very strange, as before he seemed entirely nonchalant about the prospect of his identity being discovered…with you, though, its like he knows more than we do."

Duo blinked at that, canting his head to the side. "More about what?"

Wufei's eyes went a little wide and he made a funny little coughing noise and Duo knew he'd pushed a little too hard. The American could almost see the red warning lights and the 'evasive maneuvers' sign flashing in his companion's head. Luckily dinner arrived and all conversation was a thing of the past, left to Wufei sending scrupulous, or so he thought, glances at Duo and the braided man cursing himself silently for having not been subtler.

"That was delicious," Duo said in obvious pleasure, almost wishing that he had a chair to lean back in—he was stuffed!

Wufei nodded in agreement, wiping his mouth carefully with his napkin before placing it on the table. "As good as the company, Maxwell," was the Chinese man's response and Duo felt something in him get a little sad.

"Duo."

"What?"

"Call me Duo," the braided man instructed, giving Wufei an open smile. "We should do this again."

Something flashed in Wufei's eyes, and he too, seemed to have let his defenses drop. "I agree, Duo."

They stood to leave and made their way to the exit, speaking of dates where they could meet around their own busy schedule when Wufei looked as though he had forgotten to say something very important. Outside the restaurant, he stopped Duo by placing a hand on the other's arm and pulling a small card from his jacket pocket.

"Relena has invited you to a dinner party she's hosting tomorrow evening," the Chinese man said as Duo took the card. "I hope to see you there."

**To be continued…**

**A/N**: There you have it! Made it up to Wuffers pretty good and, HOMIGOSH, _plot_ happened. What has gotten into me? I'm a fiend, a complete fiend. Anyway, this will either be the second to last or the third to last chapter. Haven't decided yet! WE SHALL SEE. I haven't exactly reached my quota of twenty-five thousand words, so if next chapter is last, it will be very, very long!


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